Electromagnetic switch assembly



April 11, 1950 H, HAWTHQRN' ET AL 2,503,484

ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCH ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 13,1944

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Germond,

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Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTROMAGNETICSWITCH ASSEMBLY Harold L. Hawthorn and Edward M. Germond, Goshen, Ind.,assignors to Penn Electric Switch 00., Goshen, Ind., a corporation ofIowa Application October 13, 1944, Serial No. 558,568

7 Claims. 1

Our present invention relates to a relay structure which is compact indesign and simple to fabricate from a plurality of parts stackedtogether and supported on a bracket or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a relay which may be readilyassembled from a plurality of parts including a stack of insulationspacers with switch blades supported between the spacers and core platessupported on the tops of the stacks so that one set of screws can beused for assembling all of the foregoing parts in rigid relation to eachother.

Another object is to provide an armature for attraction by the coreplate which is pivotally mounted on the screws and which cooperates withthe core plate and the contacts to be attracted by the one when the coilis energized and to operate the other for circuit controlling purposes.

A further object is to provide an arrangement of relay on a supportingbracket which includes a stop plate for the armature also supported onthe same screws and rigidly mounted with respect to the bracket by meansof interposing spacer sleeves or bushings between the stop plate and thecore plate, with the armature pivoted on the spacer bushings.

With these and other objects in view, our invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of ourdevice whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in our claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a relay structure embodying our invention andshowing a heavy duty relay and a light duty relay in the same assemblyand thereby adapted particularly for oil burner control installations:

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 6 and '7 are enlargements of the portions of Fig. 4 shown withinthe circles 6 and I, respectively, thereof; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

On the accompanying drawings we have used the reference numeral [0 toindicate a bracket, of which there are two. Each bracket ID has ahorizontal flange l2 provided with a pair of upstanding perforatedmounting ears M. The brackets l0 extend upwardly from the flange l2 2and are provided with vertical supporting flanges I6 directed towardeach other, as shown in Fig. 1.

Insulation sleeves l8 extend through the supporting flanges l6, andstacks of insulation spacers 20 are mounted thereon. At the ends of thestacks core plates C and C' are mounted, and beyond these plates arestop plates S and S. Interposed between the plates C and S and theplates C and S are spacer bushings 22 and 24, the bushings 22 beingthreaded. B lts 26 are screwed into the bushings 22 after passingsuccessively through the stop plate S, the spacer bushing 24, the coreplate C, the insulation sleeve l8 and the core plate 0, as shown inFigs. 4, 6 and 7. The stop plates S are secured against the bushings 22by short screws 28.

Included in the stacks of insulation are four stationary switch blades30 and four movable switch blades 32. To prevent the stacks ofinsulation from rotating, other screws 34 and insulation sleeves 36similar to the sleeves l8 are provided, the screws 34 passing throughthe core plate C, the insulation sleeve 36. and threaded into the coreplate C, as shown in Fig. 2.

Each core plate is inverted T-shape, having a vertical leg 38, asindicated in Fig. 3, and a pair of horizontal arms at its lower end,indicated at 40. A second vertical leg 42 is provided, and its lower endterminates as indicated at 44, and is riveted to the core plate by arivet 46.

The core plate C, it will be noted, is thicker than the core plate C, asit is for heavier duty, and may be forked at its upper end with a coppershading ring 48 mounted thereon, as shown in Fig. l, for minimizing A.C. hum.

Armatures A and A are provided, and each is inverted U-shape, having across-member 50 at the top and a pair of legs 52. The armatures A and Aare similar except for thickness, and the two legs are provided withenlarged openings 54 surrounding the spacer bushings 22 and 24. Thelower ends of the legs 52 are slightly curved, as shown in Fig. 8, sothat they can remain engaged with the core plates C and C due tomagnetic attraction, and yet rock thereon to give the desired pivotalaction to the armature. In the case of the heavy duty armature A, it ispreferable to include a spring 56 to prevent undesired vibration,although we have not found this necessary on the armature A. Thecross-piece 50 of the armature is adapted for attraction by the upperand of the core plate leg 38, the two being shown spaced from each otherin Figs. 1 and 2 and engaged with each other in Fig. 5.

Relay coils R and R are mounted on the cores C and C and supportedthereby. These coils have supply wires 58 extending thereto, and thewires extend upwardly through the space between the insulation spacersas shown in Fig. 4. The switch blades 30 and 32 have terminal cars 60extending therefrom to which soldered connections, as desired, may bemade.

The stop plates S and S are each U-shape, having a horizontal cross-bar62 at the bottom and upstanding arms 64, as shown in Fig. 3. Theupstanding arms are adapted to be engaged by the armatures A and A whenthe coils R. and R are de-energized, whereupon the movable switch bladestend to separate or engage the relay contacts, as the case may be. Whenthe coils are energized the operation of the contacts is then reversed.The cross-bars of the legs are provided with insulation studs 65 toengage the movable switch blades 32 when the relay coils are energized.

From the foregoing specification it will be obvious that we haveprovided a simple supporting arrangement for all the parts of the relayon the same screws which extend through the stacks of insulationspacers. The core plates for the relay coils are mounted on this stackand so are the stop plates for the armatures, while the armaturesthemselves are pivotally mounted on the same screws by the use of spacerbushings which prevent any binding of the armatures at their pivotedends. The assembly of the parts of the relay is quite simple andinvolves but a minimum of expenditure of time.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of our device without departing from the real spirit and purposeof our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims anymodified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which maybe reasonably included within their scope without sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a relay structure, a bracket having'a pair of supporting flanges,stacks of insulation spacers on said flanges, screws through the spacersand flanges to retain the spacers supported on the flanges, contactsprings mounted in said stacks and having fixed and movable blades, acore plate at the top of said stacks and supported on said screws, arelay coil mounted on said core plate,

a U-shaped armature having the ends of its arms adjacent one end of saidcoil against said core plate in face-to-face relation and its crosspiece adjacent said core plate at the other end of said coil forattraction thereby, said armature being loosely mounted on said screwsfor pivotal movement, and a stop for said armature held in rigidassembled relation to said supporting flange by said screws.

2. In a relay structure, a pair of brackets each having a supportingflange, stacks of insulation spacers on said flanges, screws through thespacers and flanges to retain the spacers supported on the flanges,contact springs mounted in said stacks and having fixed and movableblades, a core plate at the top of said stacks and supported on saidscrews, a relay coil mounted on said core plate, and an armature havingone end face-to-face against the mounted portion of said core plate andits opposite end adjacent the outer end of said core plate forattraction thereby, said armature being loosely mounted on said screwsfor pivotal movement.

3. In a relay structure, a support, stacks of insulation spacers on saidsupport, screws through the spacers to retain them in supportedposition, contact springs mounted in said stacks and having fixed andmovable blades, a core plate included in said stacks and supported onsaid screws, a relay coil mounted on said core plate, an armature forengaging said movable blades, having its face at one end heldresiliently against the face of said core plate and its face at theopposite end adjacent the face of said core plate for attractionthereby, spacer bushings through said armature and located on saidscrews, said armature being loosely mounted for pivoted action on saidspacer bushings, and a stop for said armature against said spacerbushings and held in rigid assembly together with said stacks oi spacersin relation to said support by said screws.

4. In a relay structure of the character disclosed, an element havingsupporting flanges, stacks of insulation spacers aaginst said flanges,relay contact springs mounted in said stacks and including fixed andmovable blades, screws for supporting said stacks of spacers on saidflanges, a core plate mounted on said screws, a spacer bushing on saidscrews, an armature having openings loosely surrounding said spacerbushings and said armature adjacent said bushings being curved wherebythe armature may pivot relative thereto, said armature having a portionfor attraction by said core plate and being engageable with said movablecontact blade to 0perate the same, and a relay coil on said core plate.

5. A relay structure comprising a bracket, stacks of insulation spacersthereagainst, contact blades mounted in said stacks, a core plateagainst said stacks, screws for retaining said core plate, contacts andspacers mounted on said bracket and rigidly assembled relative thereto,spacer sleeves on said screws, an armature having enlarged openingsreceiving said spacer sleeves for permitting pivotal movement of thearmature relative to the sleeves, springs surrounding said sleeves totake up lost play of the armature and bias one of its faces to engage aface of said core plate, and a relay coil on said core plate, saidarmature being attractable by said core plate when said coil isenergized and engageable with said contact blades to operate the same.

6. A relay structure comprising a bracket, stacks of insulation spacersthereagainst, contact blades mounted in said stacks, a core plate,screws for retaining said contacts, a core plate and spacers mounted onsaid bracket and in rigid assembly relative thereto, an armature havinenlarged openings receiving said screws with said armature inface-to-face relation to said core plate, said enlarged openings andscrews permitting pivotal movement of the armature relative to thescrews, and a relay coil on said core plate, said armature beingattractable by said core plate when said coil is energized andengageable with said contact blades to operate the same.

7. In a relay, a support, stacks of insulation spacers secured to saidsupport, contactor blades mounted in said stack of spacers, screwsextending through the spacers and blades for retaining them assembled onsaid support, a core plate supported on said screws against said stackof spacers, a coil wound on said core plate, an armature cooperatingwith said core plate for attraction thereby when said coil is energizedand for engagement with said blades to operate them, spacer sleeveson-said screws against said core plate, said sleeves being slightlylonger than the '5 s am thickness of said armature and said algp aturehaving openings receiving said sleeves ,gwith a face of said armatureagainst a face of said bore plate, which openings are slightly largerthan the diameter of said sleeves, and springonesaid spacer sleeves tobias said armature a ainst said core plate. 3 HAROLD L. HAWTBORN. EDWARDM. GERMOND.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED sings PKI'ENTS Number Name" Date Johnson Jan. 8,1929 Mace May 29, 1934 Miller Sept. 11, 1934 Henderson et a1. Feb. 12,1935 Miller Oct. 19, 1937 Dubuar Nov. 15, 1938 Swenson Nov. 7, 1939Brown Apr. 16, 1940 Shapiro Jan. 19, 1943

